Courgette Dal Tadka

Courgette Dal Tadka is a very healthy and filling dal made with courgette, lentils and fresh flavours such as garlic, ginger as well as coriander. This recipe is inspired by a Telugu-style dal known as Sorakaya Pappu which is a dal made from a bottle gourd. Sorakaya is the Telugu name for a bottle gourd and Pappu is the Telugu name for dal.

Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

• a tablespoon of cooking oil (I use sunflower oil)
• 1 cup of tur dal, (washed and soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes)
• 1.5 cups of chopped courgette or zucchini (I have peeled it you can keep the skin if it is organic)
• 1/2 cup of onion finely chopped
• 3 to 4 green chillies, slit (adjust according to preference)
• 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder
• 1/4th teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds or fenugreek leaves
• 6 to 8 curry leaves
• a large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 6 to 8 coriander sprigs, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of water or as required

Procedure

• Boil the soaked dal in a microwave or on a stove for 5 minutes so that the dal is cooked for a bit.
• In a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Once the oil has heated, add half a teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them crackle. Cover it with a lid while they crackle.
• After that, add half a teaspoon of cumin seeds with fenugreek seeds and let the cumin seeds crackle.
• Then add the chopped green chillies, curry leaves and garlic. Saute` for a minute or until the garlic is cooked but not burned.
• Then add the chopped courgette along with a pinch of salt with turmeric powder and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add the pre-cooked dal to the courgette along with red chilli powder and more salt if required.
• Cook until the courgettes have become soft and the lentils are cooked.
• Use a potato masher to mash a few pieces of courgette and some of the lentils for an amazing flavour and a thick consistency.
• Add chopped coriander springs and boil for two minutes. (Add fenugreek leaves at this stage if you are using those instead of seeds)

Courgette Dal Tadka is ready, serve it with rice and some papadam. I have served it with a black chilli which is a spicy, crispy chilli; you can find it in any Indian store and fry it like papadam.

Variations

• Instead of courgette, you can also bottle gourd which is available in Indian supermarkets.
• You could also add tomatoes to this dal tadka if you want, add that after sauteing courgette for five minutes, cook them for two to three minutes and then add the lentils.
• You can also add tomato puree` too for a thick and tangy gravy.